Willem de Rooij: Bouquet XI
 
Test Site
May 23, 2015 — August 16, 2015
This summer, Bouquet XI (2014) by artist Willem de Rooij (Netherlands, born 1969), occupies the Henry's Test Site. Composed of flowers and foliage originating from the Middle East, Bouquet XI is created in collaboration with Nisha Kelen, a local florist. The exuberance of the bouquet is counterbalanced by an abundance of naturally occurring allergens that subtly allude to the complex history of the region.
de Rooij's floral sculptures are a playful—and yet precise—nod to the Netherlands' role as a major hub in the international flower trade and also to the symbolic dimension that was so central to historic Dutch floral still-life painting. The artist lives and works in Berlin.
ARTISTS
CREDITS

Willem De Rooij: Bouquet XI is organized by Luis Croquer, Deputy Director of Exhibitions, Collections, and Programs. The project is made possible with support from Henry Donor Circle members and season supporter ArtsFund. It is additionally supported through generous gifts made to the Henry Now Campaign by the Barton Family Foundation in memory of Irving Marcus; Cathy and Michael Casteel; the Jon and Mary Shirley Foundation; William and Ruth True; and the Bagley and Virginia Wright Fund. Bouquet XI was originally commissioned and first presented in New York as part of the Jewish Museum series Using Walls, Floors, and Ceilings.

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